Employer in Okara lockup: Protest follows death of burnt maid at Mayo

LAHORE: The family of a 15-year-old girl, who was allegedly set on fire by her employers a few days ago in Okara and died of burns at Mayo Hospital on Tuesday, lodged a protest in front of the Punjab Assembly.

Around a dozen protesters gathered at Faisal Square and placed the body in the middle of the road around 7am, appealing to the chief minister to dispense justice to them.

Ahmad, a resident of Okara, said his daughter Yasmin had been working as maid at the house of Tahir Mahmood of Sabzi Mandi, Okara, for the last five years. He alleged that Tahir and his wife would subject the girl to severe torture over petty issues and four days back, the couple set the girl on fire and later shifted her to Mayo Hospital.

He said Tahir informed him about the girl’s admission to the hospital. He said though the police had registered a case, they were not arresting the suspects.

Civil Lines Division SP Dr Haider Ashraf said the protesters demanded arrest of the couple for torturing and killing of the innocent girl.

Our Okara correspondent adds: The A-Division police registered a case under sections 302 and 324 PPC against Tahir Mahmood, his wife Tahira and their driver on the report of Yasmin’s brother, Tariq.

The complainant said the couple roped Yasmin and torched her, which claimed her life five days after admission to the Lahore’s biggest health facility.

The police on Tuesday apprehended Tahir Mahmood and sent him behind the bars.

Speaking to Dawn, the incarcerated Tahir said: “I reached my home at noon on Feb 12 last when my wife told me that Yasmin had not responded from her room for the last two to three hours. I knocked at the door but found no response and as a last resort, broke the door only to found the girl’s room full of smoke. Then I managed to take her to hospital and suffered burns myself in the meantime.”

He said the girl would often tell them that her family wanted to arrange her marriage against her will.
Source: Dawn
Date:2/17/2010